Posted!

Join the Nation's Conversation

NBA competition committee to look at rise in 3-pointers

Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports
9:28 p.m. EDT April 19, 2013

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry celebrates with shooting guard Klay Thompson after scoring a three point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter at Oracle Arena.(Photo: Kelley L. Cox, USA TODAY Sports)

Story Highlights

The Board of Governors discussed the rise of 3-pointers this week

The competition committee will look at 3-pointers, instant replay and game speed

International preseason games, a joint All-Star bid and regional announcers were also discussed

NEW YORK – The three-point shot is the hot shot in today's NBA. Teams took more threes this season (49,068) than any other season, and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry made a league-record 272 threes this season.

Twelve teams took at least 20 three-pointers per game, including 28.9 per game by the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets. NBA Commissioner David Stern noted that in 2000-01 not one team took more than 20 threes a game.

"It's been a complete progression, and understandably based upon the proficiency of our players and the statistical result of being able to hit 3s at something approaching 35%," Stern said.

Stern, Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver and owners spent time talking about the growing popularity of the three-pointer at this week's Board of Governors meeting, which concluded Friday, and the competition committee will look at the long-range shot when it meets during the Finals in June.

"For better or worse, enjoy your own impression because we don't have an impression but when our teams are hot, it's a thing of beauty. And when they're not, they can go 3 for 41," Stern said.

Stern mentioned strategy and advanced statistics used by several teams.

"It's also interesting to note the way certain teams are now defending the 3, giving up the mid-range shot and the statistical variances that come into play," Stern said. "That's relevant because many of our teams, and soon to be all, are so focused on analytics and the percentages that go with taking shots and various formations that we just think it's interesting. It wasn't a presentation for purposes of a result -- just as an observation to let our teams know where the game is going."

Stern said the competition committee will also look at other areas: use of instant replay, clear path to the basket fouls and ways to speed up the game.

While the sale of the Sacramento Kings to either a local group that will keep the team in Sacramento or to a group that will relocate the team to Seattle dominated the owners' meeting, the league tackled several other issues.

-The San Antonio Spurs rested key players early in the season against the Miami Heat and incurred the wrath of NBA Commissioner David Stern.

The Miami Heat, and other teams including the New York Knicks, rested players down the stretch, and no team received a $250,000 fine like the Spurs did in late November.

Paraphrasing late Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart, when it comes to sitting of players, Stern knows it when he sees it.Still, it is a topic of interest to fans, coaches, general managers and owners as the league tries to find an acceptable place where what's best for the league intersects with what's best for a team.

"It's fair to say that I raised the issue in executive session that it was something the board was going to have to come to grips with as a group of partners in this very competitive but significant and fan-friendly business," Stern said. "We didn't reach any conclusion, but it's very much on the agenda as a continuing subject."

-The league continues its plan for international growth, focusing on Asia. Silver recently visited China and President of NBA International Heidi Ueberroth recently visited Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Next preseason, the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers will play games in the Philippines and Taiwan, and the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers will play two games in China.

"There was a very full update on international matters that touched upon many continents but particularly the extraordinary and growing influence of Asia," Stern said. "There was a really good back and forth about the importance of international to our business, although it remains relatively small as a percentage, it's growing much, much faster and it holds out great promise, and I briefed the board on my recent visit to India and the opportunities that are presented there as well"

Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:

-Ever tune into the local broadcast of a game NBA League Pass and listen to a certain home team's announcer display a peculiar brand of favoritism toward the home team?

Stern has noticed that, too, and may try to curb (hear that Tommy Heinsohn?). Stern admits he may get resistance from regional sports networks.

Stern said there is "some questioning about whether -- wasn't there anything we could do about the tenor of certain home team reporting on regional sports networks by which fans get their impression of the NBA, and basically we told the owners that we explained what a homer is. And we weren't talking about baseball.

"And that that sells and that's what some of the networks are telling their announcers, and that in its collectivity builds a certain impression, but we're all over it, and we're working on it."

-In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing tragedy, owners discussed security at arena. Without revealing details, the league vowed to "maintain a high level of vigilance as always" at arenas.

The NBA pledged to make a significant contribution to The One Fund which will "help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston."

Stern indicated the league will show support to the people of Boston during the playoffs "particularly in the course of the Knicks-Celtics playoff series," Stern said.

-The National Basketball Players Association remains without an executive director after players ousted Billy Hunter during All-Star Weekend, but Stern said the league is on track for HGH testing starting in the 2013-14 season.

"I don't want to put words into the mouth of a union leader who hasn't been selected yet, and that's going to be a subject for discussion," Stern said. "But I must say that the history of our union leading the way, if you would, with respect to all drug testing and the adding of additional substances. In some way we're lucky to see this sort of play out in other sports so we can be better informed."

"Right now we hope that we're going to have HGH testing for next season. And we don't see any reason why we won't."

-The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets both want the 2015 All-Star Game.

The Knicks have renovated Madison Square Garden with nearly $800 in upgrades, and the Nets play in the new $1 billion Barclays Center.

"No update. We continue to talk to both the Nets and the Knicks about 2015," Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver said.

A joint bid is possible.

"It is possible, and we would divide the events between the two teams," Silver said. "There's ongoing discussions, but yes, they're both open to that."

-The league approved the sale of additional shares of the Cleveland Cavaliers to majority owner Dan Gilbert, and approved Jeanie Buss' appointment as the controlling governor of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Owners also paid tribute to Buss father, longtime Lakers owner Jerry Buss, who died in February.

"We stopped the meeting to talk about the importance that Jerry Buss (and) the important role he has played in this league, particularly his willingness to make himself available to others," Stern said. "The owners felt very strongly about commemorating that as well as the fact that even though he was a Laker first and foremost, how he really looked out for the league's interests when it came to important issues for what was good for the overall league. He was extraordinary in that regard."